Paper Project
by AlexisBreathless
Summary: "Mr. Schue, these papers are blank." "I know, and there's a purpose to that. I'm hoping this will open everyone's eyes, if only just a little bit."


_A/N: I don't even know where this came from or what this is. Feel free to ignore it and click away._

"Mr. Schue, these papers are blank." Rachel tilted her head at the plain white sheet Mr. Schue was handing out to everyone.

"I know, and there's a purpose to that." He handed the last paper to Kurt and returned to the middle of the room. "I'm hoping this will open everyone's eyes, if only just a little bit. I know tensions have been high and we've been saying and doing things hurtful things to each other." Finn looked a bit uncomfortable while Santana rolled her eyes and Rory lightly rubbed his nose. "Now some of you won't get anything at all from this-"

"So can I leave?" Santana asked, filing her nails with her paper resting in her lap. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"No, you can't. As I was saying, some of you won't learn anything from this because you already understand the moral of the lesson," his gaze lingered on Kurt for a moment, "but I think you might still be affected by this lesson. So, everyone, take your papers." The teens all took their papers into their hands and waited for more instructions. Mr. Schue grabbed a paper of the piano and crumbled it into a ball. He gestured for the teens to do they same and they all hesitated a moment before crumpling up their papers.

"Mr. Schue-"

"Hold on, Rachel. Just crumple it up, throw it across the room, step on it, and destroy your papers without ripping them, okay?" They all looked at their teacher like he was crazy for a moment before following his instructions. Soon they were all out of their chairs and throwing, stepping on, and ruining their papers, being careful not to rip them. Finally Mr. Schue got them all to sit back down, not sure if he should be proud or worried with how damaged their once perfect sheets of paper were.

"Mr. Schue, if I-"

"Rachel, please, we're almost done. Now everyone try to fix your paper, try to make them perfect again." They started straightening out their papers, smoothing them out and trying to rub out any scuff marks.

"Mr. Schue, this is impossible." Finn grumbled, working hard to try and smooth out a crinkle.

"Exactly. Take a look at how wrinkled and dirty your papers are. Now imagine that's someone's trust and you've done something or said something to hurt their trust." Finn was still trying to smooth out his paper but his movements were much slower as he listened. Santana stared at her wrinkled paper, caressing a crease with her thumb. "No matter how many times you say sorry or do something to fix the damage you've done you will never be able to fully heal that person's trust."

Puck, Santana, and Finn looked completely shocked and sorrowful. Tina rested her head on Mike's shoulder with tears in her eyes. Rachel and Mercedes looked at each other with eyes wide and jaws dropped. Kurt unconsciously reached out for Blaine's hand while wiping away his tears with the other. Mr. Schue knew the message got through to them; he was just waiting for someone to make the first move. Artie wheeled himself over to Brittany, who was still trying to fix her paper.

"Brittany, I'm sorry I called you stupid." She smiled and nodded.

"It's okay, you didn't mean it." Mr. Schue smiled. It wasn't big but it was a start and hopefully they would keep the ball rolling. Quinn turned to Rachel.

"I'm sorry I slapped you at prom and I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I've said to you to your face and behind your back." Rachel nodded.

"And I'm sorry for any hurtful things I've said about you. I know you're having a hard time." Soon the room was filled with everyone apologizing to each other but they silenced when Santana, who had remained quiet, stood up. She shakily stood in front of everyone and took a deep breath.

"I-I'm sorry." She had tears in her eyes and she quickly blinked them back. "Brittany, I'm sorry I couldn't accept my feelings for you and strung you along for as long as I did. Finn, I'm sorry for slapping you. Rory, I'm sorry I attacked you with dodge balls. I'm sorry for saying rude and hurtful things to all of you. Rachel, I'm sorry I call you man hands. Blaine, I'm sorry I call you a hobbit. I'm sorry I take out my anger on everyone." A tear raced down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. Brittany jumped up from her seat and pulled Santana into a tight hug. Soon the entire glee clubs was out of their seats and giving Santana a group hug, a silent acceptance of her apology and promise to help her through the tough times. They all returned to their seats except Finn, who stood in the spot Santana previously occupied.

"Santana, I'm sorry I outed you, that was really low of me, and Blaine, I'm sorry I've been really rude to you. I just… I'm used to being the lead and I feel like you just took that position from me." Blaine quickly shook his head.

"No, _I'm_ sorry for making you feel that way. I never meant to make you feel like I'm replacing you." Finn nodded with a small smile and returned to his seat. Mr. Schue smiled at everyone.

"How do you all feel?" There was a chorus of "better" and he nodded. "Now on the board," he pointed to the whiteboard where plain white pieces of paper were taped, each with someone's name on it, "is everyone's trust. You all have your own and we're going to see how intact your papers are by next week. When someone in glee club, whether from New Directions or the Troubletones, hurts your trust you're going to get your paper and do what we just did with these papers." He held up his wrinkled paper and the teens nodded their understanding.

"Mr. Schue, if I may?" Rachel raised her hand and Mr. Schue nodded. She stood up to address the glee clubs.

"I think Mr. Schue has taught us an important lesson and I think this will bring us all closer together. I know we're still two separate glee clubs but that doesn't mean we all can't be friends." She smiled at Mercedes, who was smiling back. Mr. Schue dismissed them and all the teens filed out, talking and still apologizing for things they had done in the past. Kurt jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Puck.

"Can I talk to you?" He was avoiding Kurt's eyes, which the countertenor found strange.

"Yeah, sure." He told Blaine he'd meet him outside before following Puck down the hall. They turned into an empty classroom and Puck sighed.

"I… Look, I'm no good at apologizing but neither is Santana so if she can do it I can too, right?" Kurt nodded and Puck sighed again. "I'm… sorry I ever bullied you. I'm sorry for throwing you in the dumpster and throwing slushies at you and pushing you into lockers and calling you a fa-"

"Don't say it." The countertenor said sternly. Puck nodded and ran a hand through his mohawk.

"Sorry. I just… It was only because you were different and you were so _proud_ to be different but you didn't deserve any of the things I've done to you. I know we're not the best of friends now and that I can probably _never_ get you to trust me again but I'm going to try." He finally met Kurt's eyes. His hazel eyes were lost in swirls of sadness and Kurt smiled softly.

"You're right, you lost my trust."

"And I-"

"Hold on, I'm not done." Puck shut his mouth and nodded for Kurt to continue. "You lost my trust but having you apologize to me and seeing how sincere you are about it…" He shrugged. "I think it's cute and I forgive you but you're going to have to prove to me that I _can_ trust you." Puck nodded, smiling a bit.

"I will."

By the next week everyone's papers were still intact. Santana had made an effort not to insult anyone in school and, with some help and support from the rest of the glee kids; she succeeded in only yelling at Jacob Ben Israel three times.

Puck had taken Kurt, with Blaine's permission ("I don't want your boyfriend thinking I'm trying to take you away from him"), to a theater in Columbus to see an off-broadway production of Wicked. This proved to Kurt that Puck was really trying to be friends with him and they interacted a lot more both in and out of school.

For the time being, the glee clubs had found peace.


End file.
